Check This Out

So, I know you're all super jealous of my newest pregnancy equipment.

Due to a lot of pain associated with my separating pelvic bones, my doctor recommended that I get a support band to help relieve the pressure that this baby is creating on my body. So, after a little internet research, Mason and I took a trip to the store and got me this. 

I gotta say, I thought it was going to be uncomfortable, but actually, it makes my back and hips feel really good. I guess I didn't realize how much support my back was missing out on. :) The only real problem with wearing this (under my clothes, of course, not like in the picture) is having to go to the bathroom. You know how a pregnant lady's bladder is. Particularly when you're a sweller, like I am, and there is a high amount of fluid intake going on. Going to the bathroom constantly is already a pain, but if the band makes it so that I can actually walk again, I guess I'll just deal with it.

As for Baby Brud #4, he is still all about changing positions. Yesterday at my doctors appointment he was head up (it took the poor nurse forever to find his heartbeat until she finally moved to the top of my uterus instead of the bottom). But I have also felt him doing somersaults and hiccuping with his head down. In fact last night he woke me up at 2 am because he made such a huge movement. I'm nervous about his constant position changes, because if he is still in any breech position come time to deliver, I won't be able to have him vaginally. Major bummer. I pray everyday that he will be cooperative and go into the correct position.

We also get to take another look at him in a couple of weeks. My doctor is anxious about how big he really is, and so she's scheduled me for yet another ultrasound. (His size could also make things difficult if he's huge like Mason AND breech.) I know there is no way to tell how big he actually is, or will be, but I am curious to see what my doctor says.

So, there you have it. An updated pregnancy report on our sure-to-be cutie.

Random Stuff

Just thought I'd add a couple of photo's from the wedding back in December. It was crazy windy that evening at the temple- we all should have done our hair up!

This was the nice family picture they took for us. I really did work hard with Mason on what a "nice smile" was. A lot of good that did.

I liked this cute hugging picture, too. My sister-in-law posted another one where all the little boys are hugging me and Dustin was just chilling by himself. It made me laugh.

 Nothing made me laugh like this one, though. How funny are these boys? I love them.

 And this is the Nativity set I made at Super Saturday this year. I took these pictures because my mom was interested in seeing them. Originally we were supposed to paint our blocks white and then adhere the fabric pictures to the fronts, because they were printed on white muslin. But someone suggested staining the blocks and cutting the figures out. The hard part about doing that was the star, the shepherd and the drummer boy had tricky parts, but I just worked around it. Anyway, I just finally got them spray lacquered this week and I loved the way they turned out. All ready for next Christmas!!!

In other news, my baby is apparently very healthy and strong. I feel like he's trying to fight his way out of my abdomen. A lot. And he likes to change positions still. (Which is SUPER comfortable, let me tell you…) At 31 weeks, it's getting a little late in the game to be in a breech position, as far as I'm concerned, so please pray that he'll be a good boy and permanently get his head down so that I don't have to have a C-section.

Ted E. Bear

Jensen's class at Mothers Day out has been doing a literacy activity called the "Ted E. Bear Project." The students get to take home the class stuffed animal, Ted, for a weekend and then they journal about and share what they did with him. This weekend Jensen got to bring Ted home. 

 Ted came home with a backpack full of clothes, a journal, toys and books. Jensen LOVED dressing Ted in different outfits. You can totally tell my kids don't have any dolls to dress up. (Maybe we should think about getting some Build-a-Bears and outfits…)

 We didn't have any grand plans for our weekend, so Jensen just hung out with Ted, and they did what we normally would do. He played games with him, brought him along while we ran errands, etc. I tried to take pictures of things to add to his journal. 

My favorite journal entry was on Sunday. Jensen would always tell me what he wanted to write and I would put it in the journal. That day he wrote, "Today Ted went to church with me and my family. Ted was good at church and he took a nap there. He also played with me in the car, which was fun. We sat quietly and played the quiet game." Sometimes he just cracks me up!

 We had fun playing with Ted and documenting our experiences. The goal of the Ted E. Bear project is to introduce students to journaling while making connections with other students in the class. I loved participating in this. I'm an avid journal keeper, and it's something that I have worked on with both Carson and Jensen. Every Sunday morning we take 10 minutes or so to write in their journals. Jensen narrates while I write, and then he draws pictures or letters at the bottom of the page. Now that Carson can write, he journals more on his own. I love reading what they wrote for different things, and it's hilarious to hear things narrated from a child's point of view. I really do hope that they come to enjoy this habit of regular record keeping.

Sniff

One of my friends recently blogged about how she felt she was in a "funk." It was reassuring, because I was feeling it too.

All this past week my kids have been passing around the sniffles. They were nice enough to share with me. (Sniff.) I think this pregnancy may go down as the one where I kept getting sick. I don't typically like to take meds (even when I'm not pregnant) unless it's really bad, so I've just been downing tons of liquid and eating lots of oranges. I forgot how much I like oranges. I had to buy a whole bunch during my grocery store trip yesterday. So good. I digress.

I've also been experiencing pretty constant sciatic nerve pain in my left leg for the past week. This has not been fun. I can't seem to get that "Police" song out of my head…"every step you take, every move you make…" Thankfully, today it has been feeling better. Hooray!

My sleepless nights have already begun. Between the sniffles (sniff), the nerve pain every time I roll over, and getting up to go pee, I can't say it's been a good sleep week. Plus, my Mason really loves to wake up bright and early. He's awake for one reason or another around 5:45am every morning. If he gets out of bed before 6, I take him back to his bed. If it's after 6 when I hear his little feet coming for my room, I let him crawl in bed and snuggle with me. He knows he has to be quiet and try to leave my hair alone. But this morning, he started trying to tell me something. I took his paci out so that I could understand what he was saying. At first I thought he said that dolphins and fish go in the water. But he corrected me saying, "No, dolphins "fim"in the water." And then he went back to being quiet. Makes me wonder what is going on in that cute little head sometimes. The other boys know not to come out of their room until 6:30am. (I'm so glad Carson can read a clock now.)

I was lucky enough to sneak in a couple of naps this week, though. They were much needed and much appreciated. I'm hoping with the sniffles on their way out (sniff) and the nerve pain that seems to be getting better, that I'll have a better week next week. And maybe my birthday date to see Les Miserables at the Alamo Drafthouse tonight will brighten my mood. :)

Here Fishy, Fishy

In celebration of the last day of winter break Dustin took the boys fishing at the pond in our neighborhood. I somehow got dragged along. We went with Uncle Jason, Aunt Jen2 and her niece Ariel.

Dustin would cast, then pass the rods off to the boys, who proceeded to catch weeds.

 No one caught any fish. (Even the more experienced fishermen.) They had fun, nonetheless.

I sat on a tackle bag and watched Mason pick up rocks to throw in the water.

Here's a little snippet of his cuteness. 

I was glad we got to do something that was at least interesting, since we've had yucky weather all week. It was nice to share the outdoors with the sun this afternoon. 

Party On!

We have some awesome friends who decided to throw a huge (very family friendly) New Years Eve Party last night. The boys were excited to get dolled up in their PJ's and go to a party with so many of their friends. (Sorry a couple of these pictures are dark, I didn't realize my flash wasn't on.)

 It was potluck-whatever-you-want-to-share food, which was fun, and there was lots of music and dancing going on. They only played a couple of slow songs, but during one of them, Carson and his friend Lusia danced "ring around the rosy- style." (I thought it was funny that she called it that!)

Mason was a dancing fool. I could not get him to hold still for a picture. Of course, when I decided to attempt a video of his sweet moves, he refused to dance. Go figure. 

I was able to catch some of Carson's dancing, though. :)

 We went to the party prepared to have a tired kid or two, and I'm glad we did. Jensen just wasn't feeling the dancing, so he decided to crash on the floor instead.

 We only ended up staying till 10:30pm, so we missed the big countdown and balloon drop, but none of our kids seemed to care too much. They were tired (Mason especially) and they had their fill of celebrating. It was a fun memory to make. Happy New Year!!!

Family Pictures

On Christmas day, our Brudnicki Family had an impromptu photo shoot. It was tons of fun getting everyone in the frame, while also catching Mason with a smile instead of the face he makes while trying to smile in photographs. :) I don't think we did too bad. 

But the best picture was the one where we caught Carson blowing an epic bubble from his gum. Jensen was the only one who noticed it before we saw the finished picture. Seriously, so awesome! You can't plan that kind of stuff.